Beyond the End
by Great. Where are we going
Summary: Though the War of the Ring had ended, Sauron's dark forces still lurk in Middle Earth. Legolas must call upon his people to protect the lands once again and must learn for himself what it means to lead and care for those who want it least. Legolas/OC


Hey there readers,

This is a story I've been thinking about for a while but it's taken some time to actually out up because I wanted to make sure that I had an actual plot in my head before I offered something up. These first two chapters set up one of the main characters though there's an emotional journey that will go on in this fiction too, hopefully, so there's plenty of change to come. This first chapter was in fact almost double the length but I thought that might be a bit much so it'll now be both chapter 1 and 2. There will, of course, be romance but it may very well be slow building - I don't want this to be on of those fiction where you have to lean back in your wheelie office chair, push it 5 inches from the desk and go "_Really?_" half way through a chapter. Due to the fact that I think I've covered everything and I'm just rambling now, let's get started!

Title: Beyond the End

Couple: Legolas/OFC

Rating: T

* * *

Chapter 1.1 - Helm's Deep

The journey to Helm's Deep had seemed to drag. The elves of Lórien had passed the time quietly - at first marched in silence but eventually fallen into the telling of age old stories; at moments a thrill had run through them and something akin to excitement would emerge but this would always die down soon enough and then, little over an hour before Helms Deep could been seen on the horizon some young elf had begun to hum a light tune that sounded too much like mourning for anyone to join in.

"It is not far now."

There was one elleth amongst them. It had been a long while since the elven people had gone to war and while she had patrolled the forest, been ambushed by orc packs, and never had the elleth experienced the hum of anticipation and tension that rose as her kin wandered onwards. She was quiet even for an elf and though as she walked around her others would try and engage her in light conversation, it seemed her small ears could focus only on the light clink her armour made with each step.

"Lady Leitwyn, have you seen Helm's Deep before?" The voice to her side asked. She turned slightly to gaze.

It was a menial question – no, she had not seen Helm's Deep before, very few among them had. "I have not." She answered lightly. Galdor, a kind elf with, what seemed to her to be, a loud sense of humour walked at her side. She could not ignore him fore he was a good friend – though he walked often too close to her for comfort, he had always tried to lift her heart when her face took on that firm heavy look. She supposed she had been looking quite severe when he had spoken – she could feel the tension of her brows drawn slightly together and her lips pressed together.

"Would a little background please you?" The elf offered with a grin. Her eyes widened a little, alight with curiosity. The taller elf laughed at how easily drawn in she had been by her interest.

"Yes," She replied as her lips loosened into a smile, "It would."

* * *

Hadlir watched the elleth from his horse, eyes shadowed by his helmet and mouth pulled into the smallest of frowns. She had been almost impossible to spot in her new armour surrounded by throngs of archers and soldiers, long hair tucked neatly into her helmet and fine limbs weighed with metal. If it hadn't been for the dark bag she carried over one shoulder or the lightness of her voice that was carried so easily by the wind, he would have assumed her to be just another elf. And there was her smile of course, so rare to see but still bright and seeming to consume her features and those around her in temporary happiness.

Not for the first time he wished he had sent her home, not allowed her to come in the first place. She was strong, yes, after so many years of training and skilled not only in fighting but in healing also, but then she could still be nowhere near as strong as the Uruk-hai. Leitwyn had insisted though, stared him down with those bright eyes of hers and packed her healing herbs with a huff. She would be forever young in his eyes and far too innocent for war.

He had been certain she would be a distraction and in that sense, had been proven right. Just as always, his men were swayed ever so slightly by her sweet face and gentle voice, after so long without the kind presence of females they had seemed to gravitate to towards her even more so now than they had done before hand. Galdor, a stronger elf, armed with a heavy sword, walked besides her now conversing happily and provoking the occasional smile. It was obvious to Hadlir that the poor man had taken in interest in Leitwyn early on in training despite her odd temperament. Hadlir thought the man to be foolish in both his enthusiasm for her presence and for his blatant interest in her.

It was no secret that Leitwyn had no interest in flirtation or courtship. She was stern and simple in her reaction to friendship and often, it seemed, oblivious to her charms with her all-consuming focus on training. Hadlir had remembered her as a tiny elfling, heads shorter than him. That had been the only time he'd seen her lavish her affections upon someone male - a young elf, by all means plain looking with an oddly shaped jaw and dull hair whom she had proclaimed to of had the most beautiful smile she had ever seen. He laughed at the memory out loud this time. She had trailed after him for months sighing dreamily and fluttering her eyelashes - the young boy had been so startled and intimidated by her attentions that when she'd finally plucked the courage to make a determined grab for his hand, the child had jumped five foot in the air and run in the opposite direction.

For weeks after that she had been inconsolable, sulked childishly in her quarters and questioned Hadlir relentlessly on why she had been rejected so quickly, asked him why she was not pretty enough. He had teased her relentlessly about it in her adulthood, found her amusing in her lack of understanding - she had not seen how her forwardness had scared the small boy - and he doubted that even now, when she stood at only a few centimeters shorter than him, that she fully understood herself. Only three days after her brooding had ended the girl's mother had been struck down by an illness she would not recover from. Leitwyn had changed after that.

Hadlir turned his face away from her and continued onwards. He had hoped to protect her since then, gone from a family friend to a mentor and ally. And yet, still she was there, marching onwards towards danger. Hadlir sighed. He should have ended it centuries ago when she'd first appeared uninvited to training, slim with childish determination. But then, after two years of her persistence he and her father had relented. Back then he could never have pictured such darkness rising, such cruelty looming, if he had, she would be safely tucked away far from Helm's Deep and danger.

The gates were in sight now. It was a relief to see the simple wood and stone, to be finally able to offer assistance. The lightest of murmuring now rose amongst his kin, an excitement barely detectable to the ordinary ear. Hadlir watched as the gate began to open and his men fell into perfectly straight lines. Despite his relief, an odd foreboding had gripped his heart.

* * *

Leitwyn let her eyes rest on Hadlir as the others focused on the battle before them. The man had distracted her. He was still on his horse, stiffer than usual with his shoulders so perfectly square. No one else could have noticed but she felt she knew Hadlir, knew when he was shadowed by something.

And now looking at him she understood. Despite the light thrill she felt on her surface, her soul was weighed with something undistinguishable and unpleasant. It had hit her 6 hours into their ride and she had wondered if this was what impending war felt like - whether it felt like waiting for something inevitable. Now as they crossed the threshold of Helm's Deep she forced herself to focus - she had come despite Hadlir's discontent and now she could not afford to let him down, let herself down.

Helm's Deep was like nothing she had ever seen. Somehow it looked natural and harsh all at the same time. It felt claustrophobic and was so incredibly _human_ that she and her kind seemed to glow against it. She did her best to conceal her wonder as none of the men beside her seemed at all phased by the place as they marched. Hadlir too now seemed far better than before, had dismounted his horse and was smiling at the men who stood to greet them. She tore her attention from the buildings to observe.

As Hadlir spoke the dark haired human rushed towards them. He was one she could recognize from the talk of the journey - Aragorn of Arathorn. He was as he had been described, tall and well-built yet and nice to look at for human and yet thick with dirt. Within moments he had reached forward and pulled Hadlir into a hug and Leitwyn could barely hold in her laugh at the look on Hadlir's face -he had never been a particularly spontaneous man. She continued her watching, carefully out of the corner of her eye, and caught his words: "You are most welcome." She could not help but appreciate his voice, strong and certain; it was the voice of a leader.

The man was followed by two others - a dwarf and a fellow elf. "Prince Legolas of Greenwood." Galdor murmured from her side, not seeming to move and inch. She almost flushed in embarrassment for not recognizing him immediately. The dwarf looked that an unpleasant sort of man and had more hair on his face than Leitwyn had ever seen. It was the colour of copper and plaited down his chest. Beneath all that hair he frowned unabashedly at them as though they were unwelcome.

They waited now for Hadlir's commands and Leitwyn hoped he would give them sooner rather than later. She was eager to check through her pack and find a place to keep some herbs for the time being. She would need to ask too if there were any presence with skill in healing, any women with whom she could plan for the aftermath and coax into trusting her.

When he finally turned he met her eyes and relieved them of their stance with only orders of preparation. She stood still as the men moved from around her, only Galdor turning to give her a farewell gaze. Hadlir moved towards her through the crowd, his face stern as she waited for him.

"Will you walk with me for a moment, _arwenamin_?" Leitwyn struggled to contain her impatience at his words - she was keen to get started and the darkness in his eyes felt as though it wounded her.

"Of course." She adjusted her bag on her shoulder and fell into step beside her friend as he walked. They stepped in silence for a few minutes and she watched as Hadlir's eyes flickered as he mauled over words in his head.

"_Mellon_?" She asked finally, stopping and stepping closer to him. He turned to look at her but was still quiet. "What is it that bothers you so?"

He was not startled by her question. Worry had consumed him again quickly after conversation with Aragorn had ended and it was too be expected that Leitwyn's sharp eyes would know him too well for it to go unnoticed.

In truth many things now upset his mind and heart, things he would not speak of on the dawn of battle for fear of tempting the fates or unsettling his friend any more than he could bare.

"You must stay safe." He said finally, turning away and continuing his walking. He felt her move beside him once again, her questioning gaze on his face. "You must hold back from battle as much as you can." She opened her mouth to talk, her brows drawn together in displeasure, but he cut her off. "If you wish to be of any aid after it would be best if you were not... were not risked."

Her face softened again. "You know I will do all I can to ease the aftermath." She sighed and brushed his arm gently with her arm. "But I cannot promise I will stand back as my kin fight and suffer."

"Leitwyn, you must listen..." He turned to her once again, his voice far colder than before and his stance commanding.

His change made her bristle and her eyes narrow marginally, her impatience forgotten. "I am part of the guard Hadlir. Do not forget that..."

"No. You will not forget that I have known you since you were a child. I will not have you putting yourself at risk. I am your _friend_." He remained firm, piercing her with his gaze, hoping she might see sense. They had had this argument a hundred times over in Lórein and she had hoped it was over, hoped he would cease treating her like a child.

"You are my _Nikerym!"_ Her voice rang out. Tension thickened between them as they glared. Leitwyn tried to calm herself and dropped her voice. "Hadlir _mellon_, this is a time of war. We are here as aid and each and every one of us must give ourselves to peace. It is a decision we have all made and an oath I have made to myself."

Hadlir felt the anger seep from his bones as he looked at him with that familiar determination. She had grown so much in so little time and yet he knew the words she spoke were that of an adult and a fighter. He could ask her to hold back, he could command it but Leitwyn was an elf of humility and she could not stay behind knowing that she could stand between a friend and death.

He blinked at her, resigned. She spoke again, this time with kindness and understanding, "I will not stray far from the castle as to be sure I can reach supplies in time and aid the wounded. But that is the reason I will do it, to aid my kin and the men of light, not to lighten your conscious, Hadlir."

He smiled it this. Her words were as stubborn as always but he was relieved for her admission and felt he was forgiven. "Of course not, my dear, though I cannot deny that it does so anyway." She huffed. "Come, if you are to be so thoroughly involved, we must prepare from battle."

Legolas had hardly expected the relief he had felt when his kin had arrived in all their grandeur. It had felt as though a huge weight was lifted from his shoulders - finally the doubt all had felt could be put to rest.

Gimli stirred beside him as they watched elves and men a like prepare for war. Gimli had been scowling horribly for the past hour. He seemed not to like anything - even Hadlir, who it seemed had a knack for making friends, had failed to win his friends favour. "Do they have to polish their armor so?" The short man muttered gruffly, "It may well bloody blind me when it catches the light."

Legolas smiled at his discontent. If it had taken him such a long while to gain any ground with the rough dwarf, he wondered how well an entire army would do. Still, even Gimli could not avoid gladness at their presence, now at least they stood a chance at survival.

Legolas frowned - he did not understand that he could be so relieved at their willingness to fight for them and yet so sorrowful at the inevitable deaths some would meet. He shook his head and decided not to dwell on the subject as the elves would meet war well. They were trained to be fearless and efficient and that, Legolas knew, was exactly what they would need to fight the darkness.

He thought on this as he stood until Gimli's deep voice brought him back to reality: "Goodness, as if elves weren't enough but_ female _elves - Hah!" Legolas frowned again and turned in the direction that Gimli was glaring, sure he was wrong in his words.

Hadlir had come towards them and by his side was an elleth. It surprised Legolas that a female elf would venture into a place of war it was a rare thing to say the least. The elves were a race of tradition and the elleth's walked the path of healers far often than they did the path of warriors. But then it was a decision that was theirs to make, Legolas thought, and Hadlir was not one to put a fragile being in harm's way.

As they got closer Legolas could hear the clink of their armour, make out the intricate pattern that laced around the helmet she held under one arm. He wondered if Hadlir and she were lovers - such a familiarity surrounded them that it seemed likely... but then with elves it so was often hard to tell and he had spent so little time with his kin over the past few months.

He was brought from his pondering by Gimli's unusual stillness beside him. He chanced a look at the dwarf and had to conceal a laugh - the bearded man look more enchanted with each step the elleth made towards them. Legolas couldn't help but find Gimli to be amusing as he struggled to keep a scowl on his face. It seemed the dwarf could hardly keep up his hatred in the presence of splendid female elleths even this one shrouded in armor had undone his irritation.

"Prince Legolas," Hadlir spoke as they neared a smile on his lips. The elleth followed a few steps behind, tall with a blank face.

"Hadlir of Lórien." He replied happily, glad for the man's kind face. He glanced at Gimli who was now staring at the ground and huffing again and smirked, "Would you care to introduce your friend to us?"

"Prince Legolas of Mirkwood and Gimli Son of Gloín, this is Lady Leitwyn of Lórien, soldier and healer of the Guard." Hadlir said his voice formal but his eyes alight with pride and nervous energy. She dipped into a low bow which Legolas could not help to find amusing -it was not often he saw an elleth bow to him and especially so low. But then, he could not imagine how more strange she would look curtsying in all her armor. His smirk provoked a frown from her.

"Honored to meet you Lady Leitwyn and we thank you for your aid." He fixed her with a smile. Under normal circumstance he would have taken her hand him his for a moment but that hardly seemed appropriate for the moment and her palm was, after all, clad in thick leather gloves and curled loosely around the sword at her side. The dwarf exhaled besides him, "_Don't we_, Gimli?"

Gimli looked up and coughed a little, "Well, Of course. We welcome help. Hm." was his rushed response; it would have been calm if it were not for his darting eyes. Legolas met Hadlir's eyes in silent amusement. The elleth, Leitwyn, watched the dwarf with something akin to interest in her eyes - caught the shuffle of his feet and watched obviously as two of his thick fingers twisted knots into his beard. Hadlir's eyes shone with humour at the girl's interest and Legolas could practically feel the irritated embarrassment rolling of the dwarf in waves.

"You are a healer, Lady Leitwyn, is there anything I can do to aid your cause?" He spoke quietly. Her eyes glance back at his through her expression did not change.

"There are few trained healers among us." She answered finally, her voice was thoughtful and grounded, a change from the usually aloof and songful elleths; she sounded sweet and yet decided on something far larger than could be read on her face. "If you could point me towards any women who might be of help I would be grateful, Prince Legolas."

Legolas nodded. "They are being moved to safety. If you travel downwards you should meet them, though I cannot point you in a certain direction..." He trailed off.

"I will manage," She commented with a firm nod, "Thank you Prince Legolas for your assistance. It was pleasant to meet you Gimli son of Glóin. " Gimli seemed to have lost his voice. She turned from them to Hadlir and spoke more quietly: "I shall see you before the chaos begins." And with that she strode easily away and Legolas did not miss how Gimli's eyes followed her.

"My," Legolas said happily, "Are you _sure_ that you dislike elves?"

The dwarf grunted next to him and muttered: "I am sure at this moment I dislike you plenty enough."

Hadlir smiled at the companions and felt that they lightened his heart somewhat: "Come now, we have much to discuss and little time."

* * *

The sky was dark and the air thick when they were called for action.

Leitwyn had let herself get distracted, so surprised by the hordes of human women offering their aid that she had become overwhelmed. She had very little experience of the human race and so rarely were they spoken about that she had allowed herself to assume them selfish.

But then these women, some barely adults and others close to death, had offered themselves up so freely despite their fear and looming loss. Together they had gathered any healing herbs, any bandages that sat in the deserted houses of the city - Leitwyn had watched them scatter, weave in and out of the streets, unabashedly searching homes and returning one by one with shaking hands and fistfuls of medical supplies or anything at all that could be useful - bed sheets and alcohol and wood for splints.

And Leitwyn had been so enraptured that now, as she hurried to take her place amongst the men, her eyes sought out a figure that she could not possibly abandon.

"Hadlir!" She called out over the metal clad heads of the elves. They parted for her as her voice rang out loud above their low mutter. Quickly, outside of the settlements walls an angry noise had been rising.

She saw him then, through the crowds and pushed closer. His kind face jerked backwards and forwards as he tried to get a better view of her. "Leitwyn!"

She pushed closer still until her hand found his and she gripped his fingers, unable to get any closer, her view blocked partially still by soldiers, boys.

"_Mellonin_." She called over the noise. He watched her with bright eyes but she could not find what else to say. She had wanted to wish him strength and yet the word 'Goodbye' fought itself to the front of her brain. His hand felt heavy in hers - far heavier than it even had before; when she had gripped his hand as in elfling his grip had reminded her of feathers. This was like lead, and her tongue felt like lead and she was unsure of what to do.

"_Leitwyn_." She met his eyes again. She felt bewildered by the noise and the sudden uncertainty that gripped her heart. The noise around them rose further and still she could do nothing but stare. "_Leitwyn..." _She could hardly hear him against the sounds of anger now, could only catch words and watch his lips move, "_Lle naa... Cormanin..." _There was a cry around them, the men push for a second she lost his hand in the swarm of men. "My dear... I am proud." His lips said as she silently wish she could explain why it felt as though time had sped up incredibly fast, was dragging them towards something she could not see. Leitwyn heard voices above the crowd, trumpets and she knew it was time.

* * *

Oh Hadlir, you are AD-orable. I wish he was my mentor/friend or whatever.

**Okay so that's chapter 1.1. I think I wrote 'Helm's Deep' way too much. I forgot to mention, there was be some differences from the books/films in terms of the elves departure.**

**TRANSLATION (I forgot to put this in): Mellon = Friend, Mellonin = My friend, Nikerym = Captain, Arwenamin = My lady.**

**The last piece of dialogue between Hadlir and Leitwyn is not supposed to really be translated - it's simply a broken up sentimental goodbye. Read into it what you will.**

**Please leave a review and let me know what you think.**

**Thanks for reading.**


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